Bad managers: a health risk

Cary Cooper on why interpersonal relationships matter at work The constant mantra of HR professionals is that “the most valuable resource is our human resource”, but the reality of working life is that one of the most significant sources of workplace stress are the people we work with, particularly our managers. From the government’s Foresight project on Mental Capital and Wellbeing, to Dame Carol Black’s report on work and health, and to the National Institute of Clinical Excellence on stress and mental health at work, one of the key issues highlighted is that inappropriate or ineffective management style can damage an individual’s health.